Chris Heywood - Chartered Physiotherapist in Northampton
Choosing a physiotherapist is about trust.
People want to know they’ll be listened to, properly assessed, and given honest advice — not rushed through a system or sold treatment they don’t need.
I’m Chris Heywood, a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 25 years’ clinical experience. I work as a sole practitioner, offering longer appointments, clear explanations, and evidence-informed care for musculoskeletal and sports-related problems.
How I work
I offer 60-minute physiotherapy appointments because good clinical decisions take time.
That means:
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A proper history and examination
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A clear explanation of what I think is going on
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Honest advice about what will — and won’t — help
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A plan you understand and can follow independently
Sometimes the right outcome is treatment. Sometimes it’s reassurance, self-management, or referral back into the NHS system. I’m comfortable with all of those outcomes, because my role is to act in your best interests, not to maximise appointments.
Who I’m best placed to help
I’m particularly well suited to people who value careful assessment, clear explanation, and practical, hands-on physiotherapy.
That includes people who:
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Have complex or long-standing musculoskeletal problems and want them explained in a way that genuinely makes sense
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Appreciate hands-on assessment and treatment when it’s clinically appropriate
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Want to understand their condition clearly so they can manage it with confidence
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Prefer an efficient, expert approach rather than multiple short appointments spread over time
Many patients choose my service because a longer, more experienced consultation reduces uncertainty, avoids unnecessary treatment, and often means fewer appointments overall.
If you’re looking for the cheapest option or a pre-set treatment package, I may not be the right fit. If you value clarity, honesty, and experienced clinical reasoning, you probably are.
Clinical experience and background
I qualified as a physiotherapist in 2000 and have worked across private practice, NHS services, and advanced clinical roles in primary care. I am both Chartered and a full member of the Health and Care Professions Council.
I hold a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy and an MSc in Pain Management, and I am currently further developing my advanced practice skills through a Postgraduate Certificate in First Contact Practitioner (FCP) MSK practice.
Alongside my private practice, I currently work within NHS pathways as a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) and MSK specialist, seeing patients instead of a GP for musculoskeletal problems. In this role, I am responsible for:
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Advanced musculoskeletal assessment and diagnosis
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Independent clinical decision-making
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Requesting imaging and blood tests where appropriate
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Identifying serious or non-musculoskeletal pathology
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Making direct referrals into specialist services or other NHS pathways
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Deciding when reassurance and self-management are the safest and most appropriate options
Midway through my career, I worked as a spinal clinical research fellow for 10 years, combining research activity with advanced rehabilitation practice alongside the now-retired spinal surgeon Mr Nick Birch. This exposed me to an international spinal research environment and to clinicians and researchers working at the forefront of their field in both the UK and across Europe.
Spending several years immersed in that setting — questioning evidence, challenging assumptions, and discussing complex cases — fundamentally changed how I think and practise. It led me to focus less on protocols and routines, and more on clinical reasoning, evidence, and individual decision-making.
This breadth of experience requires a high level of responsibility and clinical judgement. That process has shaped how I work today. It is also one of the main reasons my approach differs from more routine physiotherapy practice: I prioritise clinical reasoning, evidence, and individual decision-making over generic protocols or one-size-fits-all treatment plans.
If you are so inclined you can see my published work at Google Scholar.
A Bit About Me
Outside of clinical work, I’m active and outdoors-focused, and I understand the frustration that comes with injury, setbacks, and uncertainty. I’ve been through my own rehabilitation following injury, which has shaped how I approach patient care — particularly the importance of reassurance, pacing, and realistic expectations.
In 2020, at the age of 42 I had to undergo a unicompartmental knee replacement (half knee replacement) following a life of sports and prior failed corrective surgery
Outside work, I’m married and have a son, and life is shared with a very large Great Dane who ensures I get plenty of fresh air and perspective (an an unplanned cold water swim at times).
For any Health a safety executives reading this, this water on the left was very shallow and we both wear like preserves when in deeper water or paddle boarding!
Earlier in my career, I built and led a larger physiotherapy practice, gaining experience as both a clinician and a director.
That period provided valuable insight into leadership, clinical systems, and the realities of running a multi-clinician service.
I now work in private practice independently, alongside my ongoing NHS First Contact Practitioner work within primary care teams. This structure allows me to work with a smaller number of patients, keep appointments unhurried, and deliver a consistently high standard of care at an advanced clinical level, while remaining closely connected to wider healthcare systems and colleagues.
Transparency And Honesty
Not everyone needs ongoing physiotherapy. Not every problem requires treatment. And sometimes the most helpful thing a clinician can say is, “You’re safe, and this will settle.”
That approach underpins everything I do.
Private Medical Insurance
I’m happy to see patients using private medical insurance, provided their policy covers my fees.
However, it’s important to be transparent about how some insurers operate. Many of the larger insurance companies apply a one-size-fits-all reimbursement model, where the fee paid for treatment is the same regardless of a clinician’s experience, qualifications, or level of responsibility. In practice, this can mean that a physiotherapist with 25 years’ experience and advanced clinical roles is reimbursed at the same rate as a newly qualified practitioner working under supervision.
After many years of being registered with the majority of providers, I made a deliberate decision to part company with some large insurers, including AXA, Bupa, and Aviva, due to this approach. I continue to work happily with a number of other insurers whose arrangements better reflect experience, autonomy, and clinical responsibility.
If you plan to use private medical insurance, please contact your insurer directly to confirm that your policy authorises treatment with me and covers my fees before booking. Once authorisation is in place, appointments can be arranged as usual.
Next Steps
If you’re unsure whether physiotherapy is right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch. I’ll give you an honest answer, even if that means advising you not to book.
Chris Heywood Physio Bio FAQs
1) How long have you been practising as a physiotherapist?
I have over 25 years of clinical experience across private practice and hospital settings. My background includes musculoskeletal, spinal and sports-related conditions, as well as advanced assessment and clinical decision-making roles.
Experience matters — particularly when symptoms are complex or have not responded to previous treatment.
2) What makes your approach different from other physiotherapists?
Appointments are longer, assessments are detailed, and explanations are clear — but that is only part of it.
Alongside over 25 years of clinical experience, I have worked within research environments and have published academic work. I regularly engage with emerging evidence and have had the opportunity to learn from and discuss approaches with leading European clinicians and researchers.
This background changes the depth of questioning, reasoning and decision-making that happens in your assessment.
My approach is not protocol-driven. It is based on clinical reasoning, experience, and evidence. The aim is to understand precisely what is driving your symptoms, provide clarity and structure, and guide you towards independence — not dependency.
Not many physiotherapists have this combination of clinical experience, research exposure and academic grounding. It shapes how I think, assess and treat.
3) Do you specialise in spinal problems?
Not nowadays. It is true that I have a particularly deep knowledge of spinal assessment and management, developed over more than 10 years of research-based working alongside renowned spinal surgeon Mr Nick Birch at East Midlands Spine Ltd. That experience significantly shaped my understanding of complex spinal pathology and surgical decision-making.
Throughout this period however I continued running my private practice, treating the full spectrum of musculoskeletal conditions that make me an advanced first contact practitioner today in primary care, and a well known physio in the private world locally.
So while I have specialist-level spinal expertise, I also bring over 25 years of broad musculoskeletal physiotherapy experience across shoulder, hip, knee and sports-related injuries etc etc etc.
4) Why are your appointments 60 minutes?
Time allows accuracy.
A proper history, examination, explanation and initial treatment cannot be compressed into 20–30 minutes without compromise. You receive the full 60 minutes of clinical time where appropriate, and I complete my notes outside of your session time.
This is also one of the reasons I stepped away from several major insurance companies. Their fee structures are relatively fixed and do not recognise clinical experience, qualifications, or specialist expertise. The only realistic way to increase income within those models is to shorten appointments and see more people per hour.
After years of picking up the pieces for patients who had received rushed, suboptimal care elsewhere, I decided that wasn’t an option for me. I have spent 25 years building a reputation based on honesty and clinical standards, and I’m not prepared to dilute that to suit an insurer’s pricing model.
Time to assess properly is a vital component of healthcare. Everything that follows — diagnosis, treatment, progression and outcomes — is built on the quality of that assessment. If the assessment is rushed, the plan is more likely to be wrong, and the rest of the process suffers.
Longer appointments often mean fewer overall sessions.
5) Do you work alone?
Yes. Chris Heywood Physio is a solo practice — by design.
I limit my private clinic to approximately 12 private appointments per week. This ensures that every patient is assessed and treated by me personally, with full continuity of care and consistent clinical reasoning throughout.
You are not passed between practitioners of varying experience levels. Because I do not run a high-volume clinic seeing 50–60 patients per week, you receive focused attention and a level of continuity that is increasingly rare.
Importantly, I am not professionally isolated.
Two days per week, I work within primary care as an Advanced First Contact Practitioner (FCP). This role places me on the frontline of musculoskeletal assessment within GP services. I assess patients who would otherwise be referred to GPs, order investigations where appropriate, and contribute to evolving clinical pathways and protocols.
This means I am regularly engaged in peer discussion, clinical governance, and ongoing exchange of evidence-based practice. I remain actively involved in the wider healthcare system, not operating in isolation.
The result is a deliberately small private practice, backed by continuous exposure to frontline clinical decision-making and evolving healthcare standards.
6) Who is your clinic best suited for?
This clinic is best suited to people who:
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Want clear, evidence-informed answers
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Value experience and clinical reasoning
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Prefer longer, structured appointments
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Are motivated to understand and manage their condition properly
Private healthcare, in my view, should offer high levels of personalised care — not production-line treatment where patients become numbers.
If you value the opinion of an advanced practitioner and want to be genuinely looked after, that is what I offer.
What I do not offer is routine weekly bookings of the same passive treatment simply to maintain turnover or meet monthly targets. Life is too short for that approach — and in healthcare, you generally get what you pay for.
I am here for those who value quality, depth and integrity in their care. If that aligns with you, we will work well together.
Why Should You Choose Chris Heywood Physio
Choosing the right physiotherapist can make a significant difference when dealing with pain, injury, or persistent movement problems. The most important thing when seeking help is finding a practitioner you trust—someone who is honest, responsible, and clear about your diagnosis, the treatment you really need, and whether any follow-up appointments are necessary.
I’m not here to poach you from another therapist, but if you’re looking for a new physiotherapist in Northamptonshire or simply want a second opinion, here’s why many people choose to work with me (read my reviews):
Over 25 years of experience & proven expertise
With 25+ years of hands-on physiotherapy experience, I’ve built a trusted reputation for clinical excellence and evidence-based care. My approach combines proven techniques with the latest research, so you can feel confident you’re in safe, skilled hands.
Longer appointments for better results
No two people—or injuries—are the same. That’s why I offer 60-minute one-to-one sessions, giving us time to:
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Thoroughly assess your condition
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Provide focused, effective treatment
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Explain what’s really going on in a clear, simple way
Your treatment plan is tailored specifically to you, aiming for long-term results, not just temporary relief.
Honest advice & support you can trust
I will always tell you what is best for you — even if that means you need fewer sessions, not more. My goal is your recovery and long-term wellbeing, not keeping you coming back unnecessarily.
Because I operate an independent practice with low overheads, I do not work to preset business targets based on a number of sessions per patient. Treatment recommendations are based on clinical need only, not on maximising appointments.
If you are interested in this topic, you can read more in my article “Do You Really Need Weekly Private Physiotherapy Sessions?”
Helping you take control of your recovery
I believe the best outcomes happen when you understand your body. I’ll explain your condition clearly, give you practical tools for self-management, and step in with expert hands-on treatment when it’s genuinely needed.
Independent clinical care
Chris Heywood Physio operates as an independent physiotherapy practice rather than a high-volume clinic model.
This allows treatment decisions to focus entirely on what is most appropriate for the patient.
The aim is always to understand the problem properly and provide clear, effective physiotherapy that helps you return to normal activity as quickly and safely as possible.
Contact Me
Alongside private practice, I also work on Mondays and Tuesdays as an advanced physiotherapist in a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) in Musculoskeletal Primary Care within the NHS, assessing, diagnosing, and triaging patients without the need for a GP appointment.
The easiest way to see my private physiotherapy appointment availability in real time, and book, is to visit the book an appointment page. If you need to make contact directly for questions and queries you are very welcome to call, but when I am in clinic my phone is always on silent so I can give my full attention to the patient I am seeing at the time. For this reason, it is usually quicker to reach me via the contact form, email or WhatsApp, where I can often read and respond in gaps.
Whichever way you get in touch, I will respond as soon as possible — and during the working week that is almost always the same day.